Baseball: The World's Game (OOTP 22 Fictional World)

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1906 was notable as both Associations had their single-season win records broken. The defending World Series champion New York Yankees set the National Association mark at 114-48 with an MLB record 454 runs allowed. Along with another great season from Franklin Carro, the Yankees had the pitcher of year award winner Eric Barter. Philadelphia again claimed second in the Eastern League, this time finishing 98-64.


In the Midwest League, St. Louis took first at 97-65 on a MVP season by 27-year old centerfielder Jonathon Gillette, whom they signed from Kansas City to an eight-year deal in the offseason. The Louisville Lynx earned the second playoff spot at 94-68. Two years removed from a world title, Milwaukee limped to a 10^th place 71-91 mark.


However, the Yankees wouldn’t be the winningest team in baseball in 1906. The Phoenix Firebirds set a MLB record at 120-42, a mark untouched in North America in the 20^th century, and had an MLB record +371 run differential. Jason Salvage won MVP again and matched his record 52 home run season of a year ago, while teammate Charles Spencer socked 50 dingers.


Phoenix pitcher Matt Perry had his career defining season as POTY, although historians note a forgotten gem of a season by 22-year old Mike Longoria of Miami. Longoria almost quietly earned 10.9 WAR for the Mallards, which remains one of the very few 10+ seasons by an MLB pitcher. Many thought he was on the way to an all-time great career, but a torn flexor in 1908 with Miami and a torn UCL in spring training of 1911 with Cincinnati sadly ended that dream.


The Denver Dragons had a stellar season in the Western League dwarfed by Phoenix, taking second at 107-55. In the Southern League, defending American Association champion Houston placed first at 94-68. The Memphis Mountain Cats took the second playoff spot at 87-75, one game ahead of Dallas and Miami.


The Firebirds rolled Memphis in the first round 3-0 and the Hornets used home-field advantage to sweep Denver, setting up an AACS rematch. This time it went seven, but Houston stunned Phoenix, ending the record-setting year in disappointment and pushing the Hornets to back-to-back Association crowns.


New York’s record setting year also saw a disappointing end as instead of back-to-back titles, they were upset 3-2 in the first round by Louisville. Philadelphia topped St. Louis in five, sending both second-place finishers to the NACS. Surprisingly, the Lynx swept the Cardinals to advance to the World Series.


For the third straight season, the World Series went seven games. Louisville would defeat Houston, making the Hornets runner-up for the second straight year. After dropping the first WS, the National Association had won five straight over the American Association, a surprising historical lead considering the AA’s to come World Series dominance.


1906 full stats here.

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Phoenix would again have the best record in baseball in 1907, following their 120-win campaign with a 114-48 mark and Western League title. Jason Salvage secured a third MVP award and the Firebirds’ Tom Guillaume was given pitcher of the year with a 27-5, 2.77 ERA season. Denver again took second in the WL, although this time they had to fend off Portland and San Francisco down the stretch.


Tampa took the Southern League at 93-69 with San Antonio second at 91-71. Oklahoma City, Memphis, Houston, and Dallas all hung around but fell off late. Hornet ace Jeremy Frechette posted a 10.3 WAR season, one of a select few to do so ever, but Guillaume’s win and league-best WHIP gave him the edge in the voter’s minds.


St. Louis won the Midwest League and had the best National Association record at 111-51 despite a lack of big award winners. Second place was a fierce five-team battle which Minneapolis took at 88-74. The Moose finished one game ahead of defending World Series Champion Louisville, two over Indianapolis and Milwaukee, and five ahead of Detroit.


New York won the Eastern League for the third consecutive season, finishing 104-58. Philadelphia took second for the third straight year as well with their 91-71 besting closest contenders Baltimore and Montreal. Phillies centerfielder Alex Webber earned MVP honors at age 34. Although 10^th in the ML, Cleveland boasted the pitcher of the year in Josh Davis. It was the first and not the last for the 23-year old lefty from Ewa Beach, Hawaii.


The Yankees were again stunned in the first round of the playoffs as Minneapolis beat them in five games. The Cardinals swept the Phillies, setting up an all-Midwest National Association final. Despite the weakest record in the field and +2 run differential, the Moose advanced in six games.


The favorites prevailed in the American Association as Phoenix and Tampa swept San Antonio and Denver, respectively. The Firebirds topped the Thunderbirds 4-2 to send Phoenix to the World Series. The Moose Magic would run out as the Firebirds weren’t going to let another stellar season end in disappointment. Phoenix won the World Series in five games.


Other notes: on August 20, Dale “Lobster” Hernandez of the San Antonio Oilers made history with the MLB’s first perfect game. The Penn State graduate struck out 11 against the Oakland Owls in the perfecto. Elsewhere, San Diego’s Adam Mallett won his seventh consecutive (and final) AA Silver Slugger at catcher.

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The National Association yet again had New York and St. Louis as league champions, the fourth straight for the Yankees and third for the Cardinals. New York’s 107-55 was the top record in the EL with St. Louis 106-56 in the Midwest. Pittsburgh secured second in the EL at 98-64 with Cincinnati at the same record for second in the Midwest. It was the first playoff appearance for both the Pirates and the Reds.


Individually, the top two award winners weren’t from playoff teams. 60-win Minneapolis had the MVP in outfielder Miguel Ramirez, who led the NA in hits and average. Cleveland’s Josh Davis secured back-to-back pitcher of the year, this time leading the way in WAR, ERA, and strikeouts.


The Yankees again saw an early exit, getting upset 3-1 by the Reds. The Cardinals defeated Pittsburgh in four to setup a second straight Midwest League NACS. After coming up short in 1904 and 1907, St. Louis broke through in 1908 in six games over Cincinnati for their first Association Championship and the eighth different winner in the NA’s first eight seasons.


Defending World Series champ Phoenix didn’t post the gaudy numbers of the last two seasons, but again were good for Western League champ with a 101-61 record. Vancouver won a competitive battle for second at 95-67, one up on Oakland and three ahead of Denver and San Diego.


After a middling mark in 1907, the Houston Hornets bounced back for the Southern League crown at 97-65. Jeremy Frechette grabbed his second POTY with 10.2 WAR and an AA best 254 strikeouts. Houston also got the MVP Adam Boehm, having signed the 38-year old outfielder previously of Ottawa and Dallas. Boehm had a then-MLB record 137 runs scored and his .468 on base percentage would be the best single-season mark until 1995. Atlanta earned a first-ever playoff appearance as the 89-73 aces held off Memphis (85-77) for second.


It was an all-Southern League AACS after Houston beat Vancouver in four games and Atlanta upset Phoenix in five. The Hornets trumped the Aces in six games for their third Association Championship in four years. This time, Houston would add the World Series title as well, defeating St. Louis in six games. Boehm was World Series MVP with 25 hits, nine runs, and a .493 OBP over the postseason.


Other notes: Yankees ace Franklin Carro became the first pitcher in league history to record 2000 career strikeouts. Detroit pitcher Tom Jardine threw the second-ever perfect game. The Sherbrooke, Quebec native struck out six against Ottawa on July 18.

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St. Louis earned a sixth straight playoff appearance in 1909 with their fourth straight Midwest League title. The defending National Association champ finished 91-71, holding off Detroit (90-72), Chicago (87-75), and Columbus (86-76). The Cardinals had the best team ERA in the NA at 2.95.


In the East, Philadelphia finished 98-64 for the best record in the NA. They led the NA in runs, led by a 50 home run season and career year by 38-year old third baseman Chris Bychyk. Ottawa took second in a tight battle for the second playoff spot, getting 90 wins and edging Boston (89), New York (89), and Montreal (86). Buffalo had the pitcher of the year in Karl Maurer, their fifth overall pick in 1905.


In the first round of the playoffs, the Cardinals defeated the Elks in four games and the Tigers upset the Phillies in four, setting up a third straight Midwest League Association final. St. Louis swept Detroit for back-to-back National Association crowns.


In the American Association, Houston rolled to their fourth Southern League title in five years, finishing at 106-56. Third baseman Will Miller picked up his third career MVP, setting career highs with 211 hits, .361 average, and a 9.9 WAR in his age 29 season. Jeremy Frechette at age 28 became a three-time pitcher of the year, leading the AA in strikeouts for the third straight year. Tampa placed second in the SL at 94-68, ahead of Oklahoma City (91-71) and their four Gold Glove stout defense.


The best record in baseball came from the Los Angeles Angels at 110-52 in the Western League. The Angels weren’t a team of big stars, but a strong balanced pitching staff and defense gave them the best ERA in the AA. Phoenix earned a fifth straight playoff appearance, taking second in the West at 97-65.


Despite going on the road, Phoenix would sweep Houston in the first round. Los Angeles topped Tampa in four and prevailed over their WL rival Phoenix in six games for their first American Association title in their first playoff berth. The past playoff experience for St. Louis would give the Cardinals the edge over the Angels in a seven-game World Series.


Other notes: Louisville pitcher Casey Esnault became the second major leaguer to record 2000 career strikeouts.

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Looking for a National Association title three-peat in 1910, the St. Louis Cardinals took the top record in the NA and Midwest League at 100-62. It was an odd year in the ML with only three teams above .500, yet the last place team posted 74 wins. Cincinnati took the second playoff spot at 88-74, one game ahead of Columbus.


No one dominated in the Eastern League, but Philadelphia would take the top spot at 94-68 for their seventh playoff berth in MLB’s first 10 years. Montreal, the highest scoring team in the NA by a healthy 58 run margin, took second at 92-70. Baltimore (89-73), Ottawa (88-74), and New York (87-75) all gave chase to the end.


The MVP race went to Kansas City’s Angel Guerra. A stocky 5’7’’, 200 pound Cuban lefty nicknamed “Bandit,” Guerra was MLB’s first notable two-way player. With just shy of 6 WAR hitting in the outfield and a slightly above average year as a starting pitcher, he received the honor. Cleveland’s Josh Davis posted a career best 9.5 WAR and 1.98 ERA for his third pitcher of the year.


The best two records in the American Association were in the Western League in a fierce battle for first. Phoenix’s AA best 607 runs allowed gave them the duke at 104-58, one game over defending champ Los Angeles at 103-59. It was a top heavy West as Oakland’s 99 wins, Vancouver’s 96, and Denver’s 92 wasn’t enough to push them to the postseason.


Houston won the Southern League at 102-60 and had the MLB’s WARlord in shortstop Dave Douglas, who posted 9.8 WAR in his second year since leaving Cincinnati for the Hornets. The one team to score more than them, the Dallas Dalmatians, took second at 94-68 for their first-ever playoff berth.


San Antonio first baseman Frank Hamman was named AA MVP as the 25-year old left handed slugger led the way with league bests in home runs (51) and RBI (142). Oakland’s Mike Gallegos picked up his only pitcher of the year award with a 21 win, 8.6 WAR season for the Owls.


Phoenix swept Dallas in the first round of the playoffs and Houston knocked out Los Angeles in four, making it Firebirds v. Hornets for the third time in the American Association’s championship in its short history. Houston won the AACS in five games, becoming the first four-time Association champ and giving them four titles in six years.


St. Louis looked to continue their own fledgling dynasty and opened the postseason with a 3-1 win against Montreal. Cincinnati ousted Philadelphia in four to set up another all-Midwest final and a rematch from 1908. The Cardinals topped the Reds in six for a third straight National Association title and a World Series rematch from 1908 with Houston.


The 1910 Series was peculiar in that it went seven games and the road team won every single game. It also guaranteed the first two-time WS champ. Three-time AA MVP Will Miller added World Series MVP to his trophy case as he pushed the Hornets by the Cardinals in seven. It ultimately marked the end of St. Louis’s NA dynasty and served as a flash point on the Houston AA run.


Other notes: official stats started to now accumulate more after 10 years of MLB sanctioned play as seven batters recorded their 1000^th RBI. Two, Houston’s Dave Douglas and Adam Boehm, became the first 1000 run scorers.

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The first decade of Major League Baseball was a critical and financial success across the United States and Canada. The financial piece especially caught the attention of powerful people in Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central America. The game had been introduced to these areas by American influence in the region and really started to grow in popularity in the early 20^th century. Scattered professional teams popped up but without much direction or organization.


That would slowly change the formation of what was known in the English speaking world as the Central American Baseball Association (CABA). Beginning official play in 1911, CABA was made up of two distinct leagues. The Mexican League was made up initially of 12 Mexican teams split into a North and South division. The Caribbean League had 12 teams split into the Island division (with teams in Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Puerto Rico, and Jamaica), and the Continental division (teams from Panama, Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Costa Rica).


In the initial setup, the postseason would have the division champions meet in a best-of-seven league championship, followed by a best-of-seven CABA championship with Mexico’s best against the Caribbean’s best. The Caribbean League would use the designated hitter while the Mexican League would not.


The player draft would keep players local to their region, although CABA teams and free agents were free to mingle. Initially as well, CABA and MLB teams could trade and purchase players amongst each other, but that would be kyboshed after a short time.

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In the Mexican League’s debut season, the Merida Mean Green took the top overall record at 103-59. Winning the South Division, Merida allowed the fewest runs (461) and was second in runs scored at (631). The North was more competitive with Mexicali winning at 87-75, beating out Tijuana (83-79) and Juarez (80-82). In the LCS, Merida defeated Mexicali in six games.


The first Mexican League MVP went to Puebla’s Alex Hinojosa, who posted 13.1 WAR with a tied-for-first 47 home runs and stellar defense at second base and shortstop. Hermosillo’s Alfredo Salomon took pitcher of the year with league bests in ERA (1.89) and strikeouts (314).


The Caribbean League’s Island Division would be loaded with three 100+ win teams. The Havana Hurricanes loaded offense, 99 runs better than second place, took it at 112-50. Both Haiti and Jamaica finished 102-60. The Jazz allowed only 377 runs, a record that held through the century.


Only one team in the Continental Division finished above .500; the Panama Parrots at 89-73. Havana would make quick work of them in the LCS with a sweep. The Hurricanes had the league MVP in third baseman Yavier De Hombre, a Cuban national who led the league with 48 homers, 112 runs, 126 RBI, and a 12.4 WAR. Baptiste Timothee, a Haitian right handed arm, won POTY for Havana with an 11.9 WAR and 23-6 mark with a 1.59 ERA.


The first CABA championship series saw Havana roar to a 3-0 start. However, Merida completed the rally to win the inaugural championship in seven games, Little did the Mean Green know that this would be their only championship appearance for more than a century.

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Houston picked up a sixth Southern League title in seven years with the American Association’s best record in 1911 at 102-60. The Hornets had the MVP in shortstop Dave Douglas and a fourth pitcher of the year for Jeremy Frechette. The top scoring team in the AA was Dallas, whose 917 runs scored pushed them to second in the SL at 97-65, beating out 91-win Miami and Oklahoma City.


The big stunner in the Western League was the complete collapse of the Phoenix Firebirds. Despite having basically the same pitching staff and not many injuries, Phoenix went from an association best 607 runs allowed in 1910 to an abysmal 885 allowed in 1911 and a last place 62-100 finish. Los Angeles filled the void for a third-straight playoff berth, winning the WL at 93-69. Denver narrowly finished second at 92-70, fending off Portland (89-73), Oakland (86-76), and San Diego (85-77).


The Southern League established easy playoff dominance as Houston swept Denver and Dallas swept Los Angeles. The Texas rivals went the distance in the AACS but the Hornets would win in seven for back-to-back AA titles and their fifth in seven years.


In the National Association, the Washington Admirals came out of nowhere seemingly for the best record in the Eastern League at 101-61, allowing the fewest runs in baseball (560) with a balanced staff and fielding. It was Washington’s first playoff berth and only second time above .500, having won only 73 games the prior year. Second in runs allowed was Hartford at 92-70, also getting their first playoff appearance by holding off 90-win Montreal.


The Midwest League was a two-team race down the stretch. Detroit finished 94-68, edging Columbus at 93-69. It was also the first playoff berth for the Chargers, led by 22-year old outfielder Jonathan Gibbs. The 50^th overall pick by St. Louis in 1908, Columbus acquired him a week later in a trade and were rewarded with a 1.002 OPS, 8.6 WAR sophomore season.


Cleveland lefty Josh Davis earned his fourth pitcher of the year in his seven year career. His 19-10 record, 2.43 ERA, and 256 strikeouts made him the first Triple Crown winning pitcher in MLB history, one of only six who would do it in the 20^th century. The Cobras were improved with 85 wins in 1911, but it would not be enough to keep him from testing free agency in the coming offseason.


The National Association Championship Series would be all Midwest for the fifth consecutive season after the Tigers topped the Huskies in four games and the Chargers upset the Admirals in five. Much like how one game separated them in the regular season, Detroit and Columbus battled in the NACS with the Tigers winning in seven games. It was Detroit’s second World Series berth, having won it all in 1902.


However, the Tigers would be quickly stung by the Hornets. Houston won the World Series in five games, giving them back-to-back titles and three in four years.


Other notes: Second-year pitcher Newton Persaud of New Orleans had a curious statistical line, leading the AA in strikeouts (279) but also losses (24). The Trinidadian recorded only eight wins for the struggling Mudcats, which would be his only season below 12 wins for the next nearly two decades.


Calgary third baseman Max Pohorence won rookie of the year in the American Association by winning the hitting title at .373 and setting a MLB record with 240 hits.


Many career milestones would be hit in MLB’s 11^th season with numerous batters crossing the 1000 run and RBI thresholds. Four crossed the 2000 hit barrier, first reached by Tampa’s Alberto Anguiano on April 19. New York’s Franklin Carro became the first pitcher at 2500 strikeouts on September 10 with Brooklyn’s Casey Esnault hitting the mark 11 days later. Ernie Stanford of the Yankees would become the first slugger with 400+ home runs.